gahoosierfan Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I would love to hear some thoughts on the 8 man proposal. It basically states that any school under 300 students could opt for 8 man football. They would require at least 16 teams statewide to be able to do this. I wonder if this would prompt any small schools to start a football program. I know in SW Indiana there are several schools that don't currently play football. Some that come to mind are South Knox, Loogootee, Bloomfield, Shakamak, NE Dubois, White River Valley, Clay City, Orleans, and others. Also Wood Memorial suspended their team a couple of years ago. It seems like that most of these schools could get at least 15 or 16 boys to come out for varsity play. I know there are start up costs, but if there is a will to do it, it could happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw13 Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 In this day and age of football not always be a priority for players, since there are a lot of options available for them instead of football, and the way the concussion awareness has depleted the ranks......I feel for smaller schools, this may be the way to go. Saw a special on ESPN about TX 8 man football schools.....it was different, it was interesting but it was still football! Has to be an alternative instead of not playing at all. It has merit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteEstonia Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 11 minutes ago, cw13 said: In this day and age of football not always be a priority for players, since there are a lot of options available for them instead of football, and the way the concussion awareness has depleted the ranks......I feel for smaller schools, this may be the way to go. Saw a special on ESPN about TX 8 man football schools.....it was different, it was interesting but it was still football! Has to be an alternative instead of not playing at all. It has merit Last year I coached an 8-man team. It was fun, but personnel management is a much bigger part of the game than in a larger school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolvesOnTheProwl Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Dumb question but how does 8 man football work? How is each position is utilized, like is it less skill player or less linemen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteEstonia Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 1 hour ago, WolvesOnTheProwl said: Dumb question but how does 8 man football work? How is each position is utilized, like is it less skill player or less linemen? 2 less linemen, one less back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 A better option would be to allow small schools to form co-op teams, like they do in Illinois. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw13 Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 The co-op option I know works well in IL when I coached there This would at least allow for 11 on 11 football if the 8 man fizzles out either way the state will have to make some decisions to keep football alive and well at the smaller schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boilerfan87 Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I do like it, as it could give more schools the opportunity to play, which isn't a bad thing. I could see some current 11 man 1A teams making the choice to drop down to it. And I can't believe I'm saying it, but I do agree with Muda that co-op is not a bad idea either and the state should consider it as well. However, the 8-man proposal is on the table, so hopefully that gets some traction. It will be interesting to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gipper Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Doubt it happens, either you’re in or out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Muda69 said: A better option would be to allow small schools to form co-op teams, like they do in Illinois. I like the idea because it will allow small, struggling programs a chance to have success and it will allow other, non-football playing schools a chance to have a program. Regardless, it will lead to contraction while still technically having a program, which should make you and DT jump for joy. It sounds like the best of both worlds to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheStatGuy Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 It wouldn't shock me if MWC schools besides North Newton played 8 man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashalwaysfights Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 (edited) From a coaching angle, I wonder what the x's and o's looks like for 8 man. I'm sure there's a lot of material out there, I just haven't had time to look. I'm an offensive line guy at heart and the thought of 2 fewer up front hurts my soul. Edited July 5, 2020 by wabashalwaysfights 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimeqb Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 16 hours ago, TheStatGuy said: It wouldn't shock me if MWC schools besides North Newton played 8 man. I think this would be impact of an 8 man format. I think more 1A schools would convert than add currently non-playing schools to the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarshallCounty Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 I am for either/both 8 man and co-op teams. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DT Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 The IHSAA has already added Flag Football. There is no no need for 8 man. If varsity is too much of a stretch for a football playing school, then flag is a good secondary club level option https://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/2018/05/03/reggie-hayes-ihsaa-makes-great-move-adding-flag-football-to-its-unified-sports-program/ 11 hours ago, MarshallCounty said: I am for either/both 8 man and co-op teams. I am against both. Contraction or Flag are better options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashalwaysfights Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 5 hours ago, DT said: The IHSAA has already added Flag Football. There is no no need for 8 man. If varsity is too much of a stretch for a football playing school, then flag is a good secondary club level option https://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/2018/05/03/reggie-hayes-ihsaa-makes-great-move-adding-flag-football-to-its-unified-sports-program/ I am against both. Contraction or Flag are better options. The current flag football program, per your article, is part of the Unified Program. My understanding of the Unified Program is that the IHSAA partners, at least perhaps unofficially, partners with the Special Olympics to provide student-athletes with special needs an opportunity to safely participate in athletics. It is a wonderful program, but I don't think that it serves the same purpose as the push for Co-OP and/or 8-man football investigation. In other words, the existing flag-football program is NOT a "better option" than 11 or 8 man football for communities who want to support a program. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gipper Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 2 hours ago, wabashalwaysfights said: The current flag football program, per your article, is part of the Unified Program. My understanding of the Unified Program is that the IHSAA partners, at least perhaps unofficially, partners with the Special Olympics to provide student-athletes with special needs an opportunity to safely participate in athletics. It is a wonderful program, but I don't think that it serves the same purpose as the push for Co-OP and/or 8-man football investigation. In other words, the existing flag-football program is NOT a "better option" than 11 or 8 man football for communities who want to support a program. Exactly. Flag football is not really a bagging right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 9 hours ago, DT said: The IHSAA has already added Flag Football. There is no no need for 8 man. If varsity is too much of a stretch for a football playing school, then flag is a good secondary club level option https://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/2018/05/03/reggie-hayes-ihsaa-makes-great-move-adding-flag-football-to-its-unified-sports-program/ I am against both. Contraction or Flag are better options. Won't schools switching to 8-man football be a form of contraction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DT Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) 36 minutes ago, AG said: Won't schools switching to 8-man football be a form of contraction? No, because they will likely be considered Class 1AA and still participate in the state tournament, further watering down the product on the field. Edited July 6, 2020 by DT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteEstonia Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 1 hour ago, DT said: No, because they will likely be considered Class 1AA and still participate in the state tournament, further watering down the product on the field. You have never learned to appreciate small school football, apparently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DT Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 33 minutes ago, DanteEstonia said: You have never learned to appreciate small school football, apparently. There is a time for expansion, and a time for contraction. Now is clearly a time for the latter Choices and options are being reduced and eliminated everywhere. High school football will be no different. And people will survive and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaSalle Lions 1976 Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 6 hours ago, wabashalwaysfights said: The current flag football program, per your article, is part of the Unified Program. My understanding of the Unified Program is that the IHSAA partners, at least perhaps unofficially, partners with the Special Olympics to provide student-athletes with special needs an opportunity to safely participate in athletics. It is a wonderful program, but I don't think that it serves the same purpose as the push for Co-OP and/or 8-man football investigation. In other words, the existing flag-football program is NOT a "better option" than 11 or 8 man football for communities who want to support a program. For everyone's information, Unified Flag Football is a sanctioned IHSAA sports. There is an end of the season tournament with a champion declared. The champion gets all the things other sports get. Trophy and rings for the participants. Unified means athletes (potential Special Olympics athletes) and partners (non disabled students). They are a team, just like any other ISHAA team, in the eyes of the ISHAA. This season, the IHSAA is shooting for 64 teams for the season. We will get there, if not this year, sometime in the future. These athletes consider themselves football players. I will hope the GID community affords them this designations. This year, I will be coaching flag football and I have to follow all the procedures that the other football coaches are. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashalwaysfights Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 1 hour ago, LaSalle Lions 1976 said: For everyone's information, Unified Flag Football is a sanctioned IHSAA sports. There is an end of the season tournament with a champion declared. The champion gets all the things other sports get. Trophy and rings for the participants. Unified means athletes (potential Special Olympics athletes) and partners (non disabled students). They are a team, just like any other ISHAA team, in the eyes of the ISHAA. This season, the IHSAA is shooting for 64 teams for the season. We will get there, if not this year, sometime in the future. These athletes consider themselves football players. I will hope the GID community affords them this designations. This year, I will be coaching flag football and I have to follow all the procedures that the other football coaches are. Absolutely. I didn't mean to imply that they weren't student-athletes at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 5 hours ago, DT said: No, because they will likely be considered Class 1AA and still participate in the state tournament, further watering down the product on the field. 8 man and 11 man football are basically different sports. They won't compete against one another at all. Sounds like contraction to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoopsCoach Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Which of these IHSAA member schools would consider playing football if 8 man football was an option? Indianapolis Herron Lighthouse CPA (Gary) Muncie Burris Indianapolis Riverside Illiana Christian Westview South Ripley South Knox Austin Southwestern (Hanover) Wapahani Hebron Irvington Prep Academy S. B. Career Academy Henryville Gary 21st Century University F.W. Canterbury Rossville Hauser Hammond Sci & Tech Jac-Cen-Del Westville Northeast Dubois Loogootee Daleville Washington Twp F.W. Blackhawk Christian Indianapolis Metropolitan Clay City Rising Sun Kouts Bloomfield White River Valley Christian Academy of Indiana Cowan Lanesville Wood Memorial Morgan Township Victory College Prep Academy Orleans Marquette Catholic South Central (Elizabeth) Shakamak Borden Indiana Math & Science Argos Morristown Providence Cristo Rey Shoals Lakewood Park Christian Faith Christian New Washington Blue River Valley Christel House Academy Southwestern (Shelby) Elkhart Christian Indianapolis International Greenwood Christian Oregon-Davis Randolph Southern Bethany Christian Waldron Liberty Christian Trinity Lutheran Rock Creek Academy Trinity School at Greenlawn Eminence LaCrosse Shawe Memorial Covenant Christian (DeMotte) Cannelton Crothersville Bethesda Christian Lakeland Christian Seton Catholic Union (Modoc) Bloomington Lighthouse Hamilton Washington Catholic Vincennes Rivet Central Christian Academy Evansville Day School Medora Smith Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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